Don't Let Fear Trump Mercy

We fear the unknown. It is natural to do so. However, as Christians we are called by Jesus in the Gospel, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but after that can do no more.” (
Luke 12:4) I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to this fear. I get fearful of terrorist attacks and when we see the carnage of Paris it agitates me further. However, we cannot and must not let these terrorists make us fearful of everything, including Syrian refugees.

I admit my first reaction was, “Why let in potential terrorists?” But then an interesting thing happened: I began discussing the issue with a friend and reading up on the subject and now I understand that our compassion and love as Christians needs to trump our fear of the unknown or the potential for bad things. If we live in constant fear, we have let the terrorists win. But if we live out our faith, we make the terrorists lose. We cannot lose sight, through fear, of what is right and just in the world.

I wish my first reaction had been a better one, a more compassionate one, but it was not and I own that. After hearing the stories and seeing the photos and after much prayer I feel the Christian reaction to the refugees has to be one of love of neighbor. I am convinced that our response will either help the situation and turn hearts toward us or if we react wrongly as a country we will continue to create enemies abroad. There is certainly enough blame to go around for why the world is the way it is in our time, but shouldn’t we be working towards finding solutions to these problems? Shouldn’t our Christian values inform how we feel about this issue? Can’t there be a process which allows for our safety but still allows for us to help the most needy?

Yes, there is an answer to that last question. The process is what any refugee has to go through before they are allowed to go to a country and the UN helps with this as does the FBI. We, as Americans, cannot live in fear. As Christians we have a duty to
not live in fear, because we believe the victory is won! We cannot turn our collective backs on human beings in need of assistance, human beings fleeing persecution from an enemy who knows no decency, who knows no mercy. As we approach the Year of Mercy let us pray as a community that we will have the courage and Christian fortitude to pray for mercy for fellow human beings who are made in the image and likeness of God. Lord have mercy!